New N.C. Laws Expand Teacher Tech Training

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has signed into law a pair of bills designed to expand the use of educational technology—and boost teachers' ability to use digital tools wisely.

One piece of legislation sets an overall goal to have the state shift to funding digital textbooks, and away from the paperbound variety, by 2017.

The other directs the state board of education to craft and oversee new "digital teaching and learning standards" for educators and administrators.

The legislation calls on the state board, in cooperation with local school boards, to make familiarity with technology in teaching and learning a condition of teacher-license renewal. All aspiring teachers would be required to "demonstrate competencies in using digital and other instructional technologies to provide high-quality, integrated digital teaching and learning to all students."

Two additional measures, one aimed at increasing Internet connectivity in schools and communities, and the other at allowing local communities to use lottery funds to support digital programs, are moving through the Statehouse.

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